Fab. CCI.
A Gnat Challenges a Lyon.
AS a Lyon was Bluſtering in the Forreſt, up comes a Gnat to his very Beard, and Enters into an Expoſtulation with him upon the Points of Honour and Courage. What do I Value your Teeth, or your Claws, ſays the Gnat, that are but the Arms of Every Bedlam Slut? As to the Matter of Reſolution; I defy ye to put That Point immediately to an Iſſue. So the Trumpet Sounded and the Combatants Enter'd the Liſts. The Gnat Charg'd into the Noſtrils of the Lyon, and there Twing'd him, till he made him Tear himſelf with his Own Paws. And in the Concluſion he Maſter’d the Lyon. Upon This, a Retreat was Sounded, and the Gnat flew his way: But by ill-hap afterward, in his Flight, he ſtruck into a Cobweb, where the Victor fell a Prey to a Spider. This Diſgrace went to the Heart of him, after he had got the Better of a Lyon to be Worlted by an Inſect.
The MORAL.
REFLEXION.
THERE is Nothing either ſo Great, or ſo Little, as not to be Lyable to the Viciſſitudes of Fortune, whether for Good or for Evil, A Miſerable Fly is ſufficient we ſee, to take down the Stomach of a Lyon: And then to Correct the Inſulting Vanity of That Fly, it falls the next Moment into the Toyl of a Spider. 'Tis Highly Improvident not to Obviate ſmall Things; and as Ridiculous to be Baffled by them; and it is not the Force neither, but the Importumty that is ſo Vexatious and Troubleſom to us. The very Teizing of the Lyon Gall'd him more then an Arrow at his Heart would have done. The Doctrine is This, That no Man is to Preſume upon his Power and Greatneſs, when Every Pityful Inſect may find our a Way to Diſcompoſe him. But That Pityful Inſect again is not to Value himſelf upon his Victory neither; for the Gnat that had the Better of the Lyon, in the very next Breath was Worſted by a Spider.
THE
